I owe to the Council of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland several Illustrations from their Journal.

Colonel Wood-Martin has given me the use of the blocks of several of the Illustrations in his "Pagan Ireland."

Lord Walter FitzGerald has given me permission to reproduce the drawing of the old Chapter House door in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, from the "Journal of the Kildare Archæological Society."

And lastly, Messrs. Macmillan & Co. have permitted me to print portions of Lord Tennyson's poem, "The Voyage of Maildune."

CONTENTS.

PAGE
I.[Legends and Early History,]1
II.[The Song of Inisfail,]7
III.[Religion of the Pagan Irish,]8
IV.[Customs and Modes of Life,]14
The Fate of the Children of Lir.
V.[The Children of Lir turned to Swans,]22
VI.[The Swans on Lake Darvra,]27
VII.[The Swans on the Sea of Moyle,]32
VIII.[Death of the Children of Lir,]39
IX.[Religion and Learning in Ancient Ireland,]45
X.[The Red Branch Knights,]50
The Fate of the Sons of Usna.
XI.[The Flight to Alban,]55
XII.[Concobar's guileful Message,]60
XIII.[The Return to Emain,]66
XIV.[Trouble Looming,]72
XV.[The Attack on the Sons of Usna,]75
XVI.[Death of the Sons of Usna,]80
XVII.[Avenging and Bright,]84
XVIII.[The Wrath of Fergus,]85
XIX.[Ancient Irish Physicians: I.]87
XX.[Ancient Irish Physicians: II.]89
XXI.[The Fena of Erin,]92
XXII.[The Chase of Slieve Cullin,]98
XXIII.[Saint Brigit: I.,]103
XXIV.[Saint Brigit: II.,]107
XXV.[Saint Brigit: III.,]111
XXVI.[Irish Scribes and Books,]114
XXVII.[The Gilla Dacker and his Horse,]120
XXVIII.[The Fena carried off by the Horse,]123
XXIX.[Dermot O'Dyna at the Well,]129
XXX.[Dermot and the Wizard-Champion,]132
XXXI.[Saint Columkille: I.,]139
XXXII.[Saint Columkille: II.,]145
XXXIII.[Prince Alfred in Ireland,]150
The Voyage of Maildune.
XXXIV.[The Voyage of Maildune,]155
[The First Island,]157
XXXV.[An Extraordinary Monster,]160
[The Silver Pillar of the Sea]160
XXXVI.[Maildune forgives his enemy,]162
XXXVII.[Tennyson's "Voyage of Maildune,"]164
XXXVIII.[Saint Donatus: I.,]167
XXXIX.[Saint Donatus: II.,]170
XL.[Danish and Anglo-Norman Invasions,]173
XLI.[The Watchfire of Barnalee,]179
XLII.[Cahal O'Conor of the Red Hand,]181
XLIII.[Cahal-More of the Wine-red hand,]186
XLIV.[Sir John de Courcy,]190
XLV.[Sir John de Courcy imprisoned,]193
XLVI.[Sir John de Courcy accepts a challenge,]197
XLVII.[Sir John de Courcy and the French Champion,]200
XLVIII.[The Earls of Kildare and Ormond,]203
XLIX.[Ancient Irish Music,]208
[Notes and Explanations,]213